Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1887-02-23
That Old Maid.

. sorrOWIul ugure passing Oy, Jnen DenC ne
d head again over the dainty garment whic
J. was to be part of her trousseau. He
aunt at the opposite window did not ar
swer, looking after Miss Gordon with
o thoughtful expression.
9 81 do hate old maids, don't you ?'' con
a tinued the young girl, lightly, as her brigh
g needle flashed in and out of the filmy laces
! think it would be perfectly dreadful to b
one. l would rather marry Chinese an,
) then Miss Gordon is so queer she is s.
deaf, and she wears those old fashioned
collars that surely were made in the ark.
"My dear, dear Stella, how you do talk ?
Mrs. Newcome laid down her EN- broider,
and looked at her niece with reproving eyes
J There is no disgrace equal to that of mar
, rying without love, and as for Miss Cor
: don's peculiar ways, they are all born o
self-sacrifces which makes them beautiful
, in my estimation. If you knew her life al
well as do, you would see in it an inward
beauty which would hide all outward blem
ishes.''
!, 'But if she is so lovable, or was so Iowa
BILE, why did no man ever love her ?"
"My dear child, when Jennie Corridor
was your age she had more lovers than yor
ever dreamed of having, for she was no
only as sweet and winning as yourself, bu
she was rich, and men will always follow il
the wake of gold /; but she refused them al
il-yes, even the man she loved as you dt
Harry. Aud for what-shall l tell you p
| eyes" Stella began to look interested
s'For the sake of sister,
"Why, how could that be-" Stella
threaded her needle with q thoughtful in
quiry upon her face.
swell, have kept the story sacred al
ways, but know you will respect the con.
idence and think l shall tell you of it,
for it will convince you that the woman
who does not marry is often more noble
than the neblest wife and mother. Wife
hood and motherhood are the highest
phases of a woman's life, yet the women
who never knew them are often more ex.
alted through the renunciation than they
would have been in the gaining.
Every few people speak of old maids in
these days as you have done. We are enter.
ing into new era for women. Fifty years
ago it was considered a disgrace for Q
woman not to marry. In these days the
world scarcely troubles itself about the
matter. The stronger individuality OF
women. their growing independence, place
them in position where they are not de
pendant upon brother or husband for sup
port. They are free to choose, and they
do not care to marry for a home or name.
Many noble, self-supporting women do no
marry because they are true to an ideal
) They will not wed without love, and is moi
this itself an advance? 1 think in the ole
days many girls were forced into unwel
come marriages because of their fear of old
maidism."
''But, dear auntie, ysu married, and yor
have always warmly advocated marriage. y
End 11o1 l.
bright face.
"Of course; and shall always do So
the right kind of marriages, but it is better
to live single always than wed for any Other
motive than that of the divine one, which
is love and true fitness. Life has no Gem.
pensatiOn equal to that of strong, patient
heart to lean op, and no recompense SO
sweet for care and pain as the clasp of little
clinging arms that bring love and beauty
with them. The weman who has never
known these joys is to be pitied, but te
those who are denied may belong a no.
bility and sublimity of soul that is equal to
the highest type of maternity.
Stella looked at her aunt with an awaken
ing wonder. She was impressed with her
words, and this plea for single women had
all the more weight since it came from a
devoted wife and woman who had been
more than a mother to her. The idea was
new to her, yet it seemed so very beautiful.
She had never thought of it in that light
before.
"Jennie Gordon has had a very bitter
HE, Mrs. Newcome SAID mo wonder
her shoulders are dropping and her face
SAD Her life has been one long sacrifice.
In our young Gays 1t was considered a ter
Eole thing TOR girl to be an Old maid
ioung girls 90 not deiDerately choose the
single path as they do now. 1t was gen
orally force OF circumstances that drove
them into it. Not to be married at twenty
nVe was considered misfortune.
| she and were schoolmates. After her
entree into society she had many suitors ;
put the only one who found favor in her
| eyes was James Halstead, noble-looking
young fellow who had been her friend and
playmate from infancy. He bad been away
at college during her late school-days, but
when he returned, finding her grown
young lady and handsomer than ever, he
Tell more desperately in love with her than
before. 1t was not long ere they were be-
trothed. As he had not completed his law
studies, however, the time set for the mar
ilage was indefinite.
when she was twenty her father died,
leaving large estate. She and a young
4
sister were the sole heirs to this fortune.-
The young sister, Theresa, was then at
school," She was wild, selfish, imperi-
GUS girl, insisting upon having her way in
! all things. From their childhood Jennie
had always yielded to her caprices and
tempers; and when her father died she
felt herself appointed as the natural pro
tector and guardian of this younger girl,
though their fathers will placed them and
the property under the guardianship of an
uncle, his brother.
''After the death of her father, James
wished Jennie to marry him and go to his
new home in one of the new towns of
Southern CALIFORNIA; place which twenty
five years ago was mere village. But she
refused.
'Wait till Theresa is out of school," she
said. Il cannot leave her now. She re-
quires constant care and guidance. No one
understands her SO well as I. Left to the
stern rule of my uncle she weuld soon
break all bounds and commit some wild
folly that would wreck her life. When she
has finished school will wed you and take